TWO students were taken to hospital after a terrifying baseball attack in a school.

Police were called to Hameldon Community College yesterday lunchtime after an intruder entered the school premises and started fighting with a 15-year-old Asian student.

Another individual then stepped forward from a crowd of watching pupils and hit the youngster over the head with a baseball bat, according to police.

Both then fled from the school and are now being hunted by police.

The boy was taken to the Royal Blackburn Hospital suffering from head injuries and another student required hospital treatment after having a fit, although he had not been directly involved in the attack.

Police said that the intruder was believed to be an ex-pupil and the individual who attacked the boy with a baseball bat was a current student.

They added that the attack had been "unprovoked" and "random" and was not being treated as racist.

The school said that they thought that neither of the attackers were current or former students and praised youngsters for the way they had dealt with the incident.

Lancashire County Council called the attack "shocking" and said staff and pupils would be helping police to catch those responsible.

Police said three to four police cars had been dispatched to the incident following a phonecall about a fight.

They are now looking at CCTV as part of their investigations into the fight.

Staff and pupils are set to be interviewed next week and police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

A police spokesperson said: "An ex-pupil has gone into the school and a fight has started with a 15-year-old asian pupil.

"A big crowd of pupils has gatherered around.

"During the fight, when a large crowd has gathered around, another pupil has joined in with a baseball bat.

"The 15-year-old received injuries to his head and was taken to hospital by ambulance.

"After the incident we had high visibility patrols.

"Our investigations are continuing."

Hameldon's assistant head teacher Russell Clarke said that two people had come onto school premises, with one of them seen to be holding a baseball bat.

He added: "The kids acted fantastically after it happened. Our students have done what we have asked of them.

"Staff were on the scene. The kids were sent to lessons and asked to remain in lessons. In the afternoon we have then done a staggered leave starting at 3.05pm."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council said: "We can confirm that an incident occurred at Hameldon Community College at lunchtime yesterday in which two intruders on school premises attacked a student.

"Emergency services were called immediately and the victim of the attack, after receiving appropriate first aid, was taken to hospital. Police are now investigating the incident."

County Councillor Marcus Johnstone, cabinet member for children and young people at Lancashire County Council, said: "This is a shocking incident and we will work closely with the police to ensure that the perpetrators are caught.

"The head teacher and her staff have done everything necessary to ensure the safety of other pupils and our Critical Incident Support Team will work with everyone involved."

A spokesperson for the ambulance service said: "We got a call from the police just after 1pm.

"They got a call about people fighing in the reception area in the school so they sent out two ambulances.

"Both ambulances are on their way to the Royal Blackburn Hospital."

A plasterer working on a neighbouring house said an Asian student was brought out of the school at about 1.30pm with a bandage and an ice pack on his head.

Another Asian boy was carried out on a stretcher and taken to hospital with a police van following them.

A concerned parent, who did not want to be named said: "Just as I was leaving there there was what looked like a full riot going on.

"Some lads had turned up with baseball bats. There were three police cars and two ambulances."